The Familiar Stranger
by Adventure-Seeking-Juliet
Summary: Two mysterious new students, who no one seems to know, come to Hogwarts in the 1993 school year, and somehow the strangers seem familiar to the new Professor, Remus Lupin, and he is determined to discover just why that is. Set in POA.
1. Pink

**The Familiar Stranger **

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to music, the soul's melody.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter in any way, shape, fashion, or form. I promise.

A/N Two mysterious new students, who no one seems to know, come to Hogwarts in the 1993 school year, and somehow the strangers seem familiar to the new Professor, Remus Lupin, and he is determined to discover just why that is. Set in POA.

* * *

Chapter One- Pink

Professor R.J. Lupin was, in most respects, a fair man. Maybe it was because he was a teacher at heart, or maybe it was because so many wizards discriminated against him for being what he was.

Either way, Remus Lupin rarely made assumptions about people before getting to know them. However,on his third day of teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, he was forced to make an exception.

_Two_ exceptions, to be exact.

* * *

_~In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

The first two days of term had gone decidedly well. If I was an optimist, I might have already been completely assured of a good year.

Good thing I'm a pessimist.

Anyway, things were tumbling along as usual. The third years had gathered in my room for their daily lesson, and I was sitting at my desk, sipping my tea casually, mentally preparing myself for another long class period.

I had glanced up just briefly from my _Daily Prophet_, when a knock sounded at my door.

The gabbling students grew quiet as I made my way toward the edge of the classroom, obviously visits during class periods was as unusual an occurrence as it had been when I was student.

But what was even more unusual, were the three people waiting on the other side of the door when I pulled it open...

Dumbledore smiled at me," Ah, hello Remus! I trust you've been well? Chocolate?"

Dumbledore offered a piece of the candy to me, then stepped into the room, nodding at all the students. I stuffed the piece of chocolate in my worn jacket pocket, watching the other two people slowly enter the room.

They were two boys, roughly thirteen years of age, but the oddest thing was that I'd never seen them before, and judging by the other students curious glances, neither had they.

The first boy was of medium height, with shaggy black hair and deep gray eyes. He was smirking arrogantly, although underneath it, I could almost sense a certain sort of loyalty and kindness. He reminded me of Sirius.

I immediately turned my attention to the other newcomer, I didn't want to think about Sirius...not in the current situation.

The other boy was wearing a bright blue hat, which clashed badly with his Hogwarts robes, he was a inch or so taller than the first boy, and considerably thinner, with amber tinted eyes.

Amber tinted eyes that were staring at me, the boy didn't even blink. An odd sense of familiarity washed over me, as though I should know him from some where...

But before I could even entertain the idea, Dumbledore began to speak.

" Sorry to interrupt your class, Professor Lupin, but as you see," the Headmaster gestured to the two newcomers once more," Hogwarts has just received two new students."

Dumbledore turned his twinkling blue eyes on the two boys, and beckoned them forward. The two boys shuffled forward, I noticed Hermione, who had obviously just 'arrived' here herself with her time turner, was staring at them oddly...or at least more oddly than most the students were.

Curious.

" This is Alan MacDough," Dumbledore nodded to the dark-haired boy," and Teddy..."

The boy with the blue hat answered for himself," Tonks."

Dumbledore smiled," Of course. Both Mr. Macdough and Mr. Tonks were sorted into Gryffindor. So I hope all their fellow Gryffndor's will be hospitable...I'm sure you will...oh and I must be going, good to see you Remus!"

I nodded, and followed the headmaster to the door, before leaving, however, Dumbledore had one final thing to say," Good luck, boys."

The old door shut slowly, with a click, and I mentally sighed before turning back to the class," I guess it's time to start the lesson, now."

A couple of Slytherin's sneered, Malfoy in their lead, but I ignored them and instead turned toward Alan and Teddy, both of whom were still standing awkwardly in the front of the classroom," Ah, you two would much enjoy a seat, I reckon?"

I turned back to the class, assessing the room for empty seats. There was one next to Hermione...and another directly in front of Malfoy.

I glanced hopefully toward Harry, he would no doubt be warm and welcoming, but his friend Ron had the seat next to him.

I sighed, and glanced back at the two new students-Alan seemed to be...the more resilient of the two, hopefully he could handle Malfoy.

If he was anything like Sirius, he could.

I shoved the thought from my head and spoke," Alan, if you'll take the seat in front of Draco here."

Draco gave Alan his best sneer, and on his right Goyle cracked his knuckles menacingly.

Alan grinned at them," With pleasure, Professor."

Draco rolled his eyes, but the sneer was gone. And obviously ineffective.

Good.

"And Teddy, if you'll take the seat next to Hermione," the girl in question smiled gently, and scooted her chair over to allow him room to sit down.

Teddy took his seat, his eyes still watched me...but still the feeling of familiarity was there...

I smiled at him, hoping to tell him I wasn't quite as ratty as I looked.

But he instantly looked away.

Odd.

I cleared my throat," Now then, I'm afraid today's lesson is a dull one, I haven't being feeling too well lately."

There was a collective groan from the students as I assigned them some wand work with their book, but they worked...semi-quietly for a while.

And then Malfoy raised his hand.

As badly as I wanted to ignore it...I couldn't, not without a complaint from the _entirety _of the Malfoy family.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco smiled sardonically," Professor...isn't it against the dress code to wear a hat indoors?"

Malfoy shot Alan and Teddy a snide look. Teddy ignored it, but Alan looked about ready to punch the Slytherin.

"Why don't you just shut it, Malfoy?" Harry snapped.

" No one asked you, Potter," Malfoy snapped back.

I cleared my throat, I didn't need an all out brawl to start," I'm sorry Teddy, but he's right, hats are against the dress code."

Teddy sighed and began to pull his hat off, but Alan's voice cut through the ruckus," But professor, if you ask Ted to take off _his _hat, it's only fair that Malfoy take off that greasy, ratty thing he's wearing on _his_ head."

The Gryffindor's busted out into laughter, and I had t bite back a smile, myself.

"Why you little-"

Malfoy made a move toward Alan, but the new student pulled out his wand and had it pointed before Draco could even get close.

I jumped up," Wands away! Or I'll be forced to get your heads of house."

The two slowly relaxed.

I turned my attention to Teddy then," And you'll need to take your hat off, Mr. Tonks."

With a grimace, Teddy pulled off his hat to reveal a shock of blue hair, the color of the hat.

The class gasped, and his hair quickly flashed a pink color, to match his coloring cheeks.

The Slytherin's snickered, and Alan sent them a glare.

Hermione looked amazed," You must be a metamorphagus! I've read about them-they're very rare...they can change their appearence at will."

Teddy nodded, his hair still a bright shade of embarrassed pink," I was born one, I- um it's hard to control in stressful situations."

I smiled," It's quite alright, I don't think anyone will find it too much of a distraction."

Teddy's hair slowly faded to a light brown color, with streaks of bright blue only adorning the edges, and the rest of class went along pleasantly. In fact, I was even in a fairly good mood when the class ended.

The students were all standing, talking in different little groups, and on my right I noticed Alan and Teddy seemed to be in deep conversation about something.

I sighed, poor boys probably didn't even know where the common room was...

" Harry-would you mind showing Alan and Teddy to their classes today?"

Harry spun around, Ron not far behind him," Er-sure, professor."

I leaned back in my seat then, I could already feel the tug of the moon...this was going to be a long week.

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A/N Soooo please review! xD


	2. Yellow

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to Anberlin and Hedley( two very good bands, if you didn't know. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, that includes characters and other such things.

A/N Thank you to all of my fantastic reviewers! I'd like to take up the next couple sentences to answer some of you questions. Good? Good. First off thanks to _Ely11, Windy Silvermist, Tessia, .., LilyFlower3, penguincrazy, Ash-Varnei, and moony-lupine _for your kind words :) To answer some questions, yes, the story of how Alan and Teddy arrived in POA will be fully explained in later chapters, and Alan is not James Sirius Potter...but that's not saying there won't be a James coming into the story later on. (:

* * *

Chapter 2- Yellow

Ron shot Harry an annoyed look," Where did she go _now_?"

Harry appeared not to have heard Ron's irritated inquiry, so Alan took it upon himself to ask the obvious question," Where did who go now?"

" Er-our friend Hermione, you probably don't know-"

" She sat next to me, actually," Teddy supplied, as the four boys mounted the staircase," She seemed really nice."

Alan chuckled," Yeah, don't you think she's nice, Ron?"

Ron blushed," No! I mean well, I s'pose she is...When she's not yelling or randomly vanishing, petting that bloody cat, I mean."

Harry obviously wasn't following the conversation well," Do you two have a break in your schedule next? I think we have about an hour before we have to head to Transfiguration-"

Alan shared a brief look with Teddy," We actually-have to er-"

" We have a meeting with McGonagoll, before class," Teddy finished," Maybe you could show us around later?"

Harry and Ron both nodded, watching as Teddy and Alan walked off the opposite way, like they somehow already knew exactly how to get to the Transfiguration classroom...

* * *

_~In the point of view of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

_I _leaned back in my chair for a moment, taking a deep breath. No matter how happy being back at my old school made me, I was also twice as tired as usual. I glanced at my tarnished watch. It was rusted, with a dent in the face, but James, Sirius, and Peter had bought it for me so long ago...I couldn't bear to get a new one, even if I had the money.

Maybe _that_ was the root of all this exhaustion, being back at Hogwarts was clearly bringing back some memories I'd hidden from myself for a long time. I shook myself from those thoughts and studied my watch once more...

Fifteen minutes until the start of my next lesson, maybe just enough time to take a little stroll about the castle, to calm my nerves. My exhaustion melted a bit at the prospect of a nice walk and a cup of tea...maybe even some chocolate...

I smiled softly at the thought, and stood up, ignoring the creaks and pops of my bones. Being around all of these kids was certainly reminding me of one thing-I'm definitely not their age anymore. And I heaved yet another sigh...

I left my room quietly, popping the piece of chocolate Dumbledore had given me into my mouth.

I shut the oaken door behind me, and quietly started down the long corridor, it was mostly deserted, to my relief.

I closed my eyes for a moment...remembering the times past that I'd walked down this hall, usually while Sirius and James planned some idiotic prank against Snape-

_" This is a perfect plan! It might be the only chance we have to prank the old bat! Just like the original marauders-" _

My eyes snapped open. That wasn't my memory speaking. I craned my head around the corner, I thought my days of spying on people were over, but apparently school brings back more than just reminisces...

Sure enough, a couple feet away, in the dimly lit hallway, the two new students, Alan and Teddy were locked in a rather conspicuous sounding conversation.

Teddy rolled his eyes,"We're not here to prank anyone, including_ 'the old bat',_ Alan-"

He sounded distinctly more animated than he had in class, I stepped forward a bit, determined to hear more of their conversation.

Alan laughed," You know if James were here, _he'd_ prank people with me, I mean c'mon, Ted, this is a once in a lifetime chance!" Alan waved his arms, theatrically, as if it would help him make his point.

" Exactly! We-we can change everything. The entire-" Teddy lowered his voice, and I instinctively stepped closer, but I'd already missed several words," Look, I'm just saying, we've got to be careful. If we mess up anything, an entire chain of events the likes of which-"

Alan growled,"Shit Teddy, are you honestly telling me, you're not planning on doing _anything_? Your just going to let your own parents die without even trying to warn them? I'm sorry but I can't do that."

I stepped forward once more, only for my watch to fall to the floor with a clunk.

The two boys froze.

I cursed under my breath, scraped up the watch, and walked forward, to where they could clearly see me.

" Is something wrong? I heard yelling, from my office." I didn't add that I'd also heard the entirety of their confusing conversation.

Teddy said," No, professor." At the same time Alan yelled out," _YES!"_

I gave them a questioning stare, looking from Teddy's amber eyes to Alan's gray ones.

" You know if there's anything you need help with-"

Alan raked a hand through his hair," There's nothing, professor, we're sorry for disturbing you."

Teddy hesitated, his hair fading to a light yellow, almost white. There was an expression on his face I'd yet to see from him.

The two walked off, not glancing back at me, but still I couldn't forget that look on Teddy's face out of my head,_ it looked rather like hope._

_

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_A/N Thanks to all who reviewed previously, I hope you'll continue to do so. *hint hint* xD_  
_


	3. Gray

**The Familiar Stranger **

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to music, specifically Every Avenue. It's quite amazing, mind you. :D

Disclaimer: Own Harry Potter? Me? Nope, I don't think so.

A/N I'd like to thank all of the reviewers for the previous chapter, before I begin where I left off. Thanks to_ Kethelen Clewarter Black_, _Just-As-Loony-As-Luna, Robin-Grimm Goodfellow, BlackGryphon101, peguincrazy, ., _and _Ely11 _for your fantastic reviews (: It's a reaaall lifter to my bad mood to see how many of you are following this story. I think I answered most questions in the reviews via message, if I missed any, just PM me, or better yet, review and ask again!

* * *

Chapter 3- Gray

Alan and Teddy had managed to keep to themselves the majority of their 'first day' at Hogwarts, but as dinner rolled in, the two seemed to realize they would need to...get to know their fellow classmates a bit more in order to make it through the upcoming year.

The two boys in question entered the Great Hall, in apparent good spirits. Alan, who entered first, with his typical swagger, didn't so much as pause to look for a seat. Instead, he plopped down next to Ron, snatched an apple from the table and chomped down on it.

Teddy merely shook his head at his friend," Do you mind if we sit here?"

"Not at all, Teddy Bear," Alan replied, mid chew.

Teddy ignored him, and offered the other three students sitting there an apologetic smile.

Ron looked irked, but Hermione beamed," Of course not! Here, sit down-"

Hermione offered Teddy the seat on her right, directly in front of Harry. Teddy gratefully slid into his seat, without even a glance from Harry, whose eyes seemed glued to the_ Prophet._

Alan, as always, took this all in stride.

"Watcha reading there, Harry?" He finished his sentence by taking a noisy bite of his apple.

Harry blinked rapidly, as if he had just realized two new people had joined their lunch delegation," Oh-I was looking for more information on Sirius Black."

Ron and Hermione shared a look, conveniently missing the one Alan and Teddy shared likewise.

Teddy spoke first," Has Black been sighted?"

Harry sighed, sliding the metamorphagus the paper," No, not today, anyway."

" I really doubt they're going to be able to catch Black anyway," Ron muttered, darkly," I mean, how many wizards have escaped from Azkaban before?"

Hermione opened her mouth to answer, but Ron cut her off.

"Exactly."

Alan, though still as complacent as before, seemed rather bothered by all the talk of Black," Maybe Black has something important to do...I mean something he couldn't do while locked up in prison-" Alan trailed off, his gray eyes wavering over Harry for a few seconds.

Harry stood up suddenly," Yeah, yeah, he has something _very_ important to do, I reckon." With that Harry marched away from the table, looking distinctly annoyed.

Alan sighed," That could have gone better, I didn't mean to get him all worked up about it."

Teddy shook his head, slightly, giving Alan some sort of warning that he should be careful what he let slip.

Neither Hermione nor Ron seemed to notice," Don't worry about it, Alan, Harry's just been under some stress lately."

The four of them became silent at that, the mutual quiet only breaking when Alan excused himself from the table a couple minutes later.

Ron and Hermione continued to converse, but Teddy appeared to have gone quiet, indeed the further dinner went on, the sicker Teddy looked. His skin had taken on a gray tinge, and his hair and eyes were slowly following suit.

Hermione noticed almost immediately," Teddy, are you alright? You-you look kind of-"

Ron's eyes widened as he studied the metamorphagus," You look gray, mate. Like, literally."

However, Ron and Hermione weren't the only ones who had noticed this.

* * *

_~In the point of view of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

I'm not quite sure what I had planned to say, but by the time I made it into dinner, I knew I had to speak to Dumbledore about what I'd heard. I had also concluded, I would need to do it this evening. After the full moon tonight, It might be a good few days before I was able enough to talk to the headmaster about the conversation I'd overheard.

The pull of the moon was running stronger than usual this month, however. Even with a good couple hours before the moon rose, I was already starting to feel the beginning symptoms.

And I _still _was no closer to speaking to Dumbledore.

So, instead of attempting to speak to him in front of Severus Snape, I sat quietly in my seat, knowing with each passing second I was losing time I could be getting to the bottom of what I'd heard from the new students-

But of course, none of this would have been nearly as frustrating if it wasn't a full moon night.

I watched Dumbledore carefully, finally noticing that Snape had apparently left the table. I took a deep breath, and glanced out the window.

I had around ten minutes before I needed to head to my office to take the potion. That might be j_ust_ enough time...

" I believe you have something you'd like to ask me, Remus?" Dumbledore said politely, smiling at me from under his silvery beard.

I nodded," Yes, headmaster-"

Dumbledore waved a hand," Please, Remus, you are no longer a students, I think the time has come you call me by my first name."

I tried to smile, but I knew it would be impossible, with the moon so near," Thank you, Albus...I would like to confide you the strange conversation I heard from the two newest students-"

I quickly repeated what I had heard to him. Dumbledore nodded impassively a few times, but other than that, he remained as stoic as ever.

After a few moments he spoke," I believe this is a story you may need to hear directly from the source, Remus. Speaking of which, I know you are about to head to your office for the night, and I'd like to ask you to do something for me."

I stood, still listening, intently.

" Mr. Tonks, I've noticed, doesn't look too well, would you mind escorting him to the Hospital Wing? I'm not sure if he knows where it is."

I nodded," Of course."

A familiar twinkle sparked from Dumbledore's blue eyes. Something was telling me he knew much more than he let on, but I didn't have time to pursue the topic, so I turned away, walking quickly toward the Gryffindor table. My eyes caught Teddy's almost at once. It seemed Dumbledore was right, he looked terrible.

His skin had a definite grayish hue, and to my surprise his hair had also turned a grayish color. An odd trait of metamorphagy, I guessed. And the closer I got to the new student, the less I thought about the moon, or even asking him about the odd conversation I'd heard.

Instead, a strong sense of worry flooded my every thought, as though I had to take care of him.

The moon always did work in strange ways...

* * *

A/N Sooo, the plot thickens. And it will only become less clear the further we go from here. :D Please review, as a Christmas present? xD


	4. Blue

**The Familiar Stranger **

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to Hot Chelle Rae, a band, that you should all listen to, seeing as they are quite brilliant.

Disclaimer: I own about as much Harry Potter as I own cars. Which is to say, none. Sadly.

A/N Sorry about the time it's taken me to update guys. I've been a bit obsessed with my Christmas gifts as of late. ^_^ Now, I'd like to thank all of those who reviewed the previous chapter, so thank you to, _slytherinslut13_, _Jokegirl, penguincrazy,_ _listen2music4ever _and_ Klutz242_ for your amazing reviews! Now, time for chapter four, which will only cause more questions to arise, I'm afraid, for the most part.

I'd also like to thank _wings of flame_, for their review. For some reason, my computer won't let me type your pename the way it was originally spelled, so my apologies.

* * *

Chapter Four- Blue

Alan wandered along the staircase, taking his time as he made it back to the Gryffindor common room. Most people would've been irritated at the seven floors of stairs they had to take to make it up there, but Alan enjoyed the walking. It soothed him.

Plus, he had to think of what he wanted to say to Harry.

Alan heaved a deep sigh, realizing he hadn't even checked to see where Harry was, he was already on the third floor, and he could've been going the wrong way, but Alan wasn't particularly worried about that. Nor was he worried about how he would find out where Harry was, without trekking all over the school.

He didn't need to be, he had _the_ map after all.

Alan glanced around the stairs, making sure no one was around, then pulled what appeared to be an old piece of parchment from his back pocket.

_" I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." _He tapped the paper once with his wand, staring hungrily at the paper as ink and words lit the page.

He quickly poured over the map, checking to make sure Harry was in his dormitory...

And he was.

Alan smiled to himself, and continued up the stairs still reading his map. There was no one else in the common room, but there were two inky dots loitering in the corridor.

Alan stopped short, he had finally reached the seventh floor, but he needed to put the map up before he ran into anyone who might become...suspicious.

He pointed his wand squarely at the parchment and whispered," _Mischief managed."_

He'd only barely managed to stuff the map back in his pocket, when Fred and George Weasley passed by him.

Neither of them stopped to say hello, but then again, why would they? They didn't know him, yet.

But they did give Alan an oddly suspicious glance, before they continued on.

Alan quickly dismissed their looks, he'd never been one to worry about things for long.

* * *

_~ In the point of view of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

I took a soft breath, just for confidence, then reached down and tapped Teddy's shoulder. Even though he was obviously..under the weather, he jumped about a mile high at my touch.

" I didn't mean to frighten you, Mr. Tonks," now that I was closer to him, I could really see how bad he looked, his skin was murky gray, and his eyes seemed dead," But I...was on my way to the Hospital Wing, and I thought perhaps, you'd like to accompany me?"

Teddy attempted a small smile," I really don't think-"

From across the table, Hermione huffed," It's alright, Teddy. Why don't you go with him?"

Teddy seemed reluctant, but obviously didn't have it in him to fight with her," I'd love to, professor."

He made a move to stand, and instinctively I reached out a hand, just in case I had to steady him. It was a good thing I did too, because when his legs hit the ground, he instantly swayed.

I grabbed him, but he leaned on me for only second, then he stepped away," I'm fine."

I highly doubted Teddy was 'fine', but I didn't plan to broach that topic until we were far away from the curious eyes of the other students.

We walked side by side until we reached the door, then I allowed him to walk through first.

He ran a hand through his hair, as I shut the large wooden doors to the Great Hall. I eyed him thoughtfully for a few moments. It appeared pulling through his hair was a nervous habit. I smiled a bit, I could relate. It was an anxious habit of mine, also.

" If you keep running your hand through your hair like that, you might go bald you know," I commented, lightly. I was hoping to alleviate his nerves, but Teddy's hair merely changed to a bright pink and he jerked his hand from his hair self-consciously.

_Good going, Remus. _I'd barely spent a couple minutes with the boy and I had already made him uncomfortable. I checked my watch, seven minutes until I needed to be back in my office. Why is time never on my side?

If I wasn't what I was, if I didn't have to deal with my _'furry little problem'_ maybe I could have actually had time to investigate what was going on, maybe I could really help Teddy get better...I pushed the thoughts from my mind.

Focus.

" How are you feeling?" My voice sounded strained to me, hopefully it didn't come across that way to him.

If it did, Teddy didn't say anything," I'm fine, really. Nothing's seriously wrong with me." Even as he spoke the words, his hair faded once more to a sickly gray color.

" I don't mean to sound...rude, Mr. Tonks, but you don't look as though you feel fine, and it's quite alright for you to admit it to me, I promise." I honestly didn't know what was making me say those words, why in the name of Merlin would Teddy want to spill his guts about how he feels to me? His shabby looking Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?

Nothing, that's what.

To my surprise Teddy only said," You're not rude at all, professor."

I was silent for a moment, waiting for him to continue, but after several quiet moments I opened my mouth to tell him the Hospital Wing was only down this hall...

but Teddy had started to speak," Actually, you're right. I-I don't feel fine. I-this has been happening the past couple months. I get really sick, like I'm going to pass out or something, and my head starts killing me-"

He paused for a second, as though checking to make sure no one else was listening to him.

" It's getting worse, every time, too," he added, quietly," I don't know why."

We were directly outside the Hospital Wing now, and as I looked down at Teddy's pale face, I didn't want to leave him. Whatever was happening to him, it scared him, that much I could tell. But I only had three minutes to get to my room.

" I'm afraid I have to go now, Teddy, but, I want you to know that we'll get to the bottom of this, I promise. And if you need anyone to talk to, I'm always here, alright?"

Teddy smiled softly, and for a second his hair was a bright shade of turquoise blue.

Though I'm not sure how, I had a feeling of pure happiness seeing that, and as I went through the transformation that night, I kept that happiness in my heart, along with a strong determination to find out all I could about Teddy Tonks and his friend Alan MacDough.

* * *

A/N So, there will probably be _one more _chapter before it actually starts to follow the plot of the original POA. But it will be a short one, mind you. :) Please review. Please. xD Thank you.


	5. Red

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to There For Tomorrow. It's quite good for writing stories like this :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, why else would I be writing _FAN_ fiction? This is so redundant.

A/N This chapter will probably be a bit short, considering the next ones will be extremely hard to write, what with putting them into the original plot of POA and all. Many thanks to my amazing reviewers,_ slytherinslut13, penguincrazy, Needallak, XspriteyX, moony-lupine, GeorgeorDraco, wings of flame, love-cdc, LilyGinnyBlack,_ and _SpasEmmi. _I'm so glad all you guys like the story! And I'm really really sorry about not updating sooner. Enjoy this chapter and_** please review**._ :)

Chapter 5- Red

* * *

Alan stared at the roaring fire in the Gryffindor common room. He'd always been fascinated by flames.

Maybe he was a pyromaniac. Or maybe he was just stalling so he wouldn't have to talk to Harry.

Perhaps, both.

Alan stood up, sighing so loudly that a small first year who had just entered the room jumped in surprise.

Alan laughed, silently, as he approached the boys dormitory, scaring firsties was always so much fun...

However, Alan instantly forgot all about scaring the first year as he entered his dorm, Harry was sitting on his bed, seemingly doing his homework. The ruse would have been more believable, had the book in his hands,_ Unfogging the Future_, been turned right side up.

Alan sauntered over to his own bunk, where an old brown trunk sat, locked and unloaded. He ignored it completely, he knew it to be empty, he hadn't brought anything with him on this particular..._trip,_ besides the map.

Alan plopped down on the bed, and mentally counted to ten before he made a show of coughing loudly.

Harry remained impassive, though he roughly flipped the page in his book.

Alan's annoyance got the better of him, he jumped up and walked quickly over to Harry.

"Is it quite difficult reading upside down?"

Harry glanced up at Alan, red with anger and embarrassment, then, just as quickly, he looked back down, turning another page.

Alan gritted his teeth," Look, I just came up here to tell you I'm sorry!"

When Harry didn't answer, Alan ripped the book from his hands, he was always quick to anger. (According to Teddy, especially.)

Harry glowered up at the other teen,"_ Sorry for what?_ You don't understand what-"

"Black is after you," Alan interrupted him, completely serious.

Harry froze.

" How do _you_ know that?" At this point, Harry had subconsciously climbed to his feet, and Alan found himself being backed into a corner. Figuratively_ and_ literally.

"I-"

Harry looked at him, expectantly. This was going to take some fast thinking.

" I was curious. Teddy and I, well, we're not from...here exactly."

Harry looked interested now, all his anger had faded into curiosity," What do you mean?"

" We're orphans," Alan supplied," and we snuck into the ministry to find information on our parents one day, this summer, actually, but we got caught. That's how we ended up at Hogwarts." Alan made a mental note to tell Teddy this _edited_ version of the story, before he said the wrong thing.

Harry looked skeptical," How come you didn't come to Hogwarts before now?"

" We didn't have a permanent home, they didn't even know _I_ existed, but that's not the point," Alan looked straight at Harry," We know Black's after you, and we...want to help you figure out why."

Harry nodded," How do I know I can trust you?"

Alan grinned," You don't. You'll just have to take a chance."

Harry sighed," I'll think about it."

"Great!"

The two jumped as the door to the dorm swung open, revealing Ron, Seamus, and Neville.

" You two sure left dinner early," Neville said, reproachfully.

" I had to unpack," Alan replied, sticking out a hand to shake with Neville," I'm Alan, by the way."

" Neville."

Alan nodded," Oh yeah...you were all in my Defense class, weren't you? And Transfiguration?"

They all answered affirmatively, then proceeded to rearrange their things to make room for the two new room mates they had.

" Hey, Alan," Ron asked," Do you know what's wrong with your friend, Teddy? Lupin had to walk him to the Hospital Wing during dinner-"

Alan was gone before Ron could even finish the sentence.

" Oi, he sure seemed worried," Ron muttered to Harry.

Harry nodded absentmindedly," I need to tell you something, but let's find Hermione first, come on."

* * *

_~In the point of view of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

I sat up, groaning in pain, even with the wolfsbane potion, the transformation hurt like Hell. I gritted my teeth together and pulled myself to my feet.

Usually, I wouldn't leave my office the day after a full moon, but I wanted to go see Teddy that morning, before he left the Hospital Wing. For reasons still unknown to me, I _had_ to make sure he was okay.

I knew I didn't have much time, the students would start waking up soon, so I quickly got dressed.

I looked terrible, it was true, with dark circles under my eyes, and limp hair, but hopefully Teddy wouldn't care too much. I was out the door and on my way to the Hospital Wing before I had given it a second thought.

Of course, by the time I was half way there, I was regretting it. Several students had seen me, and my legs were aching from the movement, but it was too late to turn back at that point.

I came up upon the Hospital Wing in about fifteen minutes, my pace was rather slow. I briefly paused outside the doors, listening intently to make sure the nurse wasn't present, she'd think I needed assistance, no doubt.

I didn't hear her.

But to my surprise, I did hear two voices arguing loudly. I sighed. Was I really going to do this again? Spying on people was already growing tiresome, my age was definitely wearing on me.

Still...it's always better to know more about some people.

I glanced inside the glass paneling on the wooden doors...sitting on one bed, looking tired, and extremely upset about something, was Teddy Tonks.

Standing in front of him, of course, was an equally tired, and angered Alan MacDough.

I moved away from the glass, and leaned into the door, trying to hear as much as I possibly could.

" If we tell them, they might could find the answer to this," Alan was saying," They're sure to know something, maybe it's happened before!"

Teddy's voice was so quiet, I had to strain to hear it," What if we already know the answer, Alan?"

Alan didn't seem to like that reply very much," What? No, no, no, no, Teddy! Don't you dare even suggest that, Teddy Lupin!"

I froze, adrenaline already pumping, they said my name...did they know I was here?

"Shut up, Alan! Someone might hear you," Teddy snapped.

" You worry too much! And I won't shut up! We need to tell them! Dumbledore knows! He can help, it's the only way-"

"NO!" Teddy's voice echoed so loudly in the hall, I nearly flinched," I'm not telling them so drop it, okay?"

" No, Teddy, I won't!"

"JUST LEAVE THEN," Teddy shouted, I stole a peek in the window then.

Alan's jaw was locked in a familiar sign of fury...I knew I'd seen it before, but I couldn't quite place where, and Teddy's hair had gone a violent shade of red.

" I'm not leaving-"

"GO!" Teddy pointed wildly at the door, and I ducked to avoid being seen.

" Fine," Alan muttered.

I froze as I felt his angry foot falls coming near me, I had to get out of there, before I was seen.

With a painful sprint, I traversed down the hall, then dashed into an adjacent room.

I had a lot to think about.

* * *

A/N This took forevvver, I know, and I'm terribly sorry. Please review and tell me your thoughts, if you have any plot ideas you'd like to share with me before I tie it all together and plot out the next couple chapters, don't hesitate to tell me now (:


	6. Brown

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, a bit overplayed, I know, but they're good.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I might as well be homeless in the wonderful world of Harry Potter.

A/N So, the plot is_ basically_ planned now, well, let me amend that, the next couple chapters are planned, along with the ending. The middle part...is under construction. Thanks to all the previous reviewers, _GeorgeOrDraco, matt riedfield, _l_ove-cdc, slytherinslut13, Teddy R. Lupin, penguincrazy, Wings. of. Flame, SiriusorRemus, .girl, The Blue Marshmallow's Revenge, LilyGinnyBlack, Dominque Weasley, jessy63, Ki-ok, TeddyLupin, StagAndDoeLover, Support Moony, Red red red ribbon, _and _Penny L. Lupin_! I'm sorry about this wait, but I have offically named my own novel, and I have been obsessed, I'm afraid. Please _review!_

Chapter 6- Brown

* * *

Teddy and Alan were quickly learning how delicate and fast-moving time could be. It was Halloween already, and still they were in the same place they had been since arriving at Hogwarts.

Teddy had awoken early that morning, his heart heavy with thought._ Soon_, if the stories Harry had told him were true, Sirius Black would make his first..._'attack' _at Hogwarts. The problem was Teddy had no idea how _soon_, soon was.

And that question was killing him, keeping him awake at night, and worrying him beyond reason.

Alan was snoring pleasantly in the bed beside him, blissfully ignorant of Teddy's turbulent thoughts, sure, Alan knew how serious their timing had to be, but he tended to forget the seriousness of their journey.

Especially when he was busy becoming Harry's best mate and all... Teddy berated himself for the envious turn his thoughts had taken, Alan was doing the right thing, they both needed to be close to the trio.

It was just more difficult for Teddy to open up to them. And, to make matters more interesting, today he would be spending the entirety of his time with Alan, and a particularly nosy, young Harry.

Teddy sighed, glancing out at the school grounds, and then above them, at the rising sun and the setting moon, today was going to be a long day.

* * *

_~ In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

I had never been one to celebrate Halloween as a child. After Greyback's attack, my family had hardly found comfort in celebrating my birthday, yet alone Halloween. But when I had arrived at Hogwarts, and made friends with James and Sirius, Halloween became a rather big deal in my life.

Mainly because we would always attempt to pull a major prank. The only day that was more important in our prank-filled life was April Fools Day, both of which only came once year.

Since leaving Hogwarts, Halloween had ceased to be a happy day for me. In fact, after the war, I had stopped celebrating it altogether.

However, for some odd reason, on this particular Halloween, an old thrill and excitement was moving within me, making me restless. Perhaps it was for that reason I happened to hear three familiar voices outside my office door.

I had been pacing for several good minutes, and the distraction immediately caught my attention, before I could stop myself I had popped my head outside my office door and said," Harry?"

Harry doubled back at the sound of my voice, with Alan and Teddy following close behind.

" What are you doing?" My curiosity had gotten the best of me...but it was a legitimate question, what were the three of them doing without Ron and Hermione in tow? "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

Alan answered first," Hogsmeade." His tone was an attempt at indifference, a failed attempt. Next to him, Harry looked as though he'd just been told he had a day to live. The only one who didn't seem thoroughly upset about not being able to go to Hogsmeade was Teddy.

The boy had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was an exhausted, mousy brown. He wore the expression of a zombie...which was even more unsettling than the appearances of the other two teens.

"Ah," I studied them once more, quickly, this could be a chance to learn more about Alan and Teddy's circumstances," Why don't you three come in? I've just taken delivery of a grindylow for our next lesson."

Alan and Harry shared a look," A what?"

" A water demon," Teddy supplied, quietly.

I nodded," Yes, exactly, here I'll show you-" I walked into my office, with the three of them close behind me. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.

I surveyed the water demon thoughtfully," We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."

The grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.

A short, awkward silence started to set in, so I asked," Cup of tea? I was just thinking of making one."

Alan responded with a nod, as Harry, looking rather awkward, said," Alright."

Teddy made no indication he'd heard what I said. Curious.

I tapped the tea kettle with my wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.

" Sit down," I gently removed the lid off of the tin in which I kept my tea bags," I've only got teabags, I'm afraid-but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"

Alan laughed loudly, and even Teddy snickered.

" How did you know about that?" Harry asked.

" Professor McGonagall told me," I replied, passing each of them a mug of tea," You're not worried, are you?"

" I'd say he was more worried about that crazy Trelawney and what she might say next. Half the class has already planned his funeral," Alan said, looking at Harry, worriedly.

Harry sighed," It's really not that bad-"

" Last week Lavender asked if you wanted a closed or open casket," Alan said, flatly," If that's not bad, I don't know what is."

Harry sighed again," It is a bit annoying." The boy seemed lost in thought for a moment...

"Anything worrying you, Harry?" I was genuinely concerned, about all of them, they seemed stressed, especially for third years.

"No," He paused for a moment, staring at the grindylow," Yes." He suddenly put the tea down on my desk," You know that day we fought the bogart?"

"Yes," I said, slowly.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" Both Alan and Teddy tensed, flashing each other a look. They knew something. As usual.

" I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," I said, sounding surprised.

Harry appeared taken aback.

"Why?"

I frowned slightly," Well," I assumed that if the boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."

Harry stared.

" Clearly, I was wrong," I continued, still frowning at Harry," but I didn't think it was a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom, I imagined that people would panic."

" I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry, earnestly," I-I rembered those dementors."

" I see," I thought for a moment," Well, well...I'm impressed." I smiled slightly at the look of surprised on all three of their faces. " That suggests that what you fear most of all is- fear. Very wise, Harry."

It was quiet for a moment, then I said," So I don't think I ever learned where you two from-" Both Teddy and Alan went rigid at the statement, but were saved from answering by a knock at the door.

The door opened, and in came Snape.

* * *

A/N Yes I know, what an odd place to stop! But the next chapter shall be more interesting, I promise. Please review :) And before you mention it, yes I know some of those lines are directly from the book, if you'll notice some are similiar, some are direct, and some were made up entirely, so don't get upset. Review!


	7. White

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Watching ' Love and Other Drugs,' it is a pretty interesting movie. :D

Disclaimer: Ownership? Of Harry Potter? Me? Haha, you must be joking!

A/N So here is Chapter Seven, I would have updated sooner, but whenever I tried, I kept getting an error message. I'm not sure what that was all about, but anyway, thanks to _Time Witch '93, slytherinslut13, CharmedandTwlight31, bloomandsky2135, penguincrazy, ., SiriusOrRemus, Twilightfan, _and _W_i_.Flame_ for your wonderful reviews. (:

Chapter 7- White

* * *

_~ In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

Snape walked into my office, carrying a familiar smoking goblet. I sat nonchalantly, watching his black eyes narrow at the sight of my visitors.

All of three of them glared back, looking equally annoyed. I was seized with the sudden urge to laugh at the situation, no matter who my visitors _really_ were, they reminded me so fiercely of the Marauders in that moment, it was uncanny.

" Ah, Severus," I greeted him, smiling despite myself," Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"

Snape set the goblet of wolfsbane on my desk, still smoking.

" I was just showing Harry, Alan, and Teddy my grindylow," I continued, hoping I sounded pleasant.

" Fascinating," Snape said, but instead of looking at the creature in the tank, he shot the three boys another penetrating look," You should drink that _directly_, Lupin."

" Yes, yes I will."

" I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued," If you need more."

" I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

" Not at all." He then backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful. _As usual._

I glanced up at the three Gryffindors in front of me. Harry was staring, curiously, at the goblet, but neither Alan nor Teddy would so much as look at it.

Odd.

" Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," I explained," I have never been much of a potion brewer and _this_ one is particularly...complex."

I sniffed at the goblet, frowning, it even smelled disgusting.

" Pity sugar makes it useless."

I took a sip, but could not repress the shudder that ran through me as the bitter liquid drained down my throat...

" Why-" Harry began, but before he was finished, I was already answering his question.

" I've been feeling a bit off-color. This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working along side Professor Snape, there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."

I took another sip, but was able to repress my shudder this time.

The room was silent for a moment, then a very sulky Alan blurted out," Professor Snape is very interested in the dark arts!"

" Really?" I hid my chuckle as best I could, it was now definetly obvious Alan was not a fan of Snape.

Harry jumped in then," Some people reckon," he hesitated for just a moment, then recklessly plunged forward," Some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

_So they think Snape is trying to poison me?_ The idea was laughable, he wouldn't do that right under Dumbledore's nose. I chose to ignore it.

" Well, I'd better get back to work. I'll see you three at the feast later."

I watched them walk out. Harry and Alan were whispering furiously to each other, as Teddy trailed behind, quietly, appearing to be lost in thought.

* * *

When Alan and Teddy entered the Great Hall, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were already sitting down, along with most the other students. The Hall itself was decorated in all its splendor, in celebration of Halloween.

It was decorated with hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, live bats, and flaming orange streamers, which were swimming across the stormy ceiling like watersnakes.

The two friends were momentarily distracted from their conversation at the sight of it all, but eventually settled down a couple seats away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were already in a deep conversation of their own.

" Alan...what are we doing here? Like _really_ doing here?" Teddy asked, after a few minuites of silence they had used to devour their food.

" Well obviously, our parents decided they wanted to have some fun one night and-"

Teddy shot Alan an annoyed look," I'm being serious!"

Alan rolled his eyes and mumbled," I was too." Teddy took another bite of his steak, as he glared his best friend down.

" Fine," Alan conceded," But I honestly don't see why you need to ask this question, you know why we're here."

Teddy sighed," I don't know...I thought I did, but after what you said in the hall when we first arrived here, I'm not so sure."

Alan choked back a big gulp of pumpkin juice," I told you, Ted, don't take anything I say when I'm made too seriously, I was just frustrated. I didn't mean it."

" No, I've thought about it a lot and I've come to a decision about what I think we should do-"

At this point, the Hogwarts ghosts started performing a re-inactment of Nearly Headless Nick's beheading, keeping all of the students, including Teddy and Alan, rapt with attention.

By the end of the evening, neither of them had said another word on the subject, and there seemed to be an unspoken consent that they wouldn't talk about it again until they were in the common room after dinner.

On the way there, they joined Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were conversating about Malfoy and his git-like attitude...until they found the corridor leading to the Fat Lady's portrait jammed with students.

" Why isn't anyone going in?" Ron asked, curiously.

At that same moment, Ron's older brother Percy cut through the line, yelling something about being Head Boy.

A silence fell on the crowd, however, as they heard Percy say in a voice suddenly very sharp," Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

" What's going on?" Ginny Weasley had come up then, looking confused.

Teddy's hair had gone stark white with worry, and Alan's eyes were as round as snitches as they shared a knowing look. Tonight was the night. Sirius had made his first move at Hogwarts.

They were running out of time.

* * *

A/N Yes, a long wait, but THIS time, it wasn't my fault! Please review! (:


	8. Indigo

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: While stressing out about the research paper I should be writing! .

Disclaimer: I don't own anything pertaining to anything that pertains to Harry Potter, sadly.

A/N Alright guys, I'm about to admit a very terrible thing about myself, I live in Alabama, USA. Yes, it's awful, I know. I have hated it since I was born here, and soon I will be leaving...anyway, the point is, that the reason I haven't updated my story is because of the crazy tornadoes and their rampage all over the state. So I'm writing this at my mother's office, just before I head off to a grueling four and half hours of work. -.- Yes, I have a job now, too.

Sigh, this is too long now, but I hope you enjoy this...hopefully the chapter won't be as scatter brained as this author's note!

Chapter 8- Indigo

* * *

Professor Dumbledore had sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused.

Alan couldn't really blame them, either, he already knew this was going to happen, and he was _still_ a bit confused with all of it.

But finally, after an obnoxious Percy Weasley ushered them into the sleeping bags Dumbledore had conjured, several realaties began to settle in.

If he and Teddy had been just a couple minutes quicker...or if they had left the Great Hall earlier, they might have run into him. If they had been paying attention to time, they would have.

They had needed to talk to Sirius that night, it had been part of the plan...they needed to get him to believe them. And they had missed it. Now, the lost time had to be made up.

The problem, of course, was how. How does one go about meeting an elusive escaped convict? The stars in the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall shown down on Alan with a surprising violence as these thoughts assulted his conciousness.

To his left, Ron, Hermione, and Harry were conversing in quiet whispers, despite Percy's insistence on everyone being silent, and although he and Teddy could have listened in on the conversation quite easily, they didn't. They had no need to, after all, they already knew that the topic being discussed by the trio was...

_Sirius Black._

With that thought, Alan flipped over in his sleeping bag, so that he could face Teddy. He had every intention of finishing the talk they had started during dinner, but at the sight of his best friend's face, he paused.

Teddy was staring up at the sparkling stars, looking glazed. Something about his facial expression struck a cord in Alan. He had only seen that look on his friend's face once before. When the memorial service for those lost during the Battle of Hogwarts was held a year ago.

"Ted, I-"

Before Alan could finish the thought, Teddy spoke up," I've been thinking about what we were talking about at dinner," Teddy took a deep breath," I think I know what I want to do." As Teddy spoke, his voice took on a thoughtful tone, as though he were speculating about the weather. His hair even slowly brightened to a deep indigo, the color Alan knew to mean his best friend was thinking deeply about something.

" And?" Alan asked.

" I don't want to worry about this big mess anymore. I'm tired of being afraid...I know we can't change the past, no matter how much we want to. I just want to spend as much time with my dad as I can."

Alan frowned," But Ted-that defeats the entire purpose of coming here! We went through this whole ordeal just so we could infiltrate the ministry and get the information needed to find out what's happening to you-"

Teddy shook his head," We know what's happening to me, Alan. We've always known, it's time we accepted it. I can't change my genetics."

"But there could be a way to reverse it. Don't you remember? The plan?"

"Forget the plan, Alan. I'm fine, I don't care about what happens to me-"

Alan felt his face getting red with frustration," But _I_ do! I want you to be okay. The plan made sense...talk to Remus and Sirius, tell them who we are then-"

"Just forget it. I'm not doing it anymore."

"Teddy! Are you saying you_ want_ to turn into a bloody werewolf?"

Even as he uttered the words, Alan knew he would regret it. Not only would Teddy never forgive him, but it became apparent half way through the sentence that someone was behind them, listening.

* * *

_~ In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

Chocolate had aways relaxed me, which was why, after things had settled down a bit, I returned to my office and pulled out a fresh box of chocolates.

To say it had been an interesting Halloween was an understatement...

It seemed I wasn't the only marauder back in our old school tonight, and now everyone seemed to think I was the one helping my old _friend_ back into the castle.

No one else knew the truth...about Sirius being an animagus, there was no way they could have found out.

And no one knew their way around the school like Sirius, he probably had all the secret passages memorized by heart.

No one could stop him...so the real question was why hadn't Sirius already made his move? The Sirius I had known had never been patient.

It just didn't make sense.

With a rather prolonged sigh, I reached back into my desk to grab another box of chocolate. But my hand caught something else, it was thinner than the box and folded like paper.

When I moved it into the light to examine it I found a white envelope. With shaking hands, I tore it open.

Inside, on a wrinkled piece of parchment were the words:

_You're not the only werewolf in this school_.

* * *

A/N That was terrible wasn't it? . I'm sorry that I'm so scattered, but please continue to review and tell me your thoughts(:


	9. Orange

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to Evanesence, one of my favorites. :)

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, it wouldn't be called Harry Potter, it would be called The Marauders: An Ode to Sexiness, so as you can tell, I don't own anything.

A/N Thanks to _CharmedandTwilight31, LoverandaFighter, Jokegirl, xxPSxxIxxLUVxxUxx, alice, Servant of Time, moony-lupine, PurplePumpkin12, WizardWay, CheyRainAwesomeness,listen2music4ever, Phoenix Call, Just-As-Loony-As-Luna, Aren, no one who matters,_ and _penguincrazy_ for your fantastic reviews! They mean a lot to me. And a special thanks to two of my reviewers, first to _SiriusorRemus,_ thank you for asking if I was alright. To answer your question, I made it through with no damage or injury, and second to _Twilightfan_, for one of the kindest reviews I've ever recieved. Now, on to the story. :)

Chapter 9- Orange

* * *

As Alan spoke he watched Teddy's face go pale and his hair darken to a worried orange. That's when he knew he'd really messed up.

The young Gryffindor stopped talking abruptly and turned his head, ever so slowly, awaiting the knowledge of who was listening to their conversation.

And to his horror, one very greasy and flint-eyed Professor Snape met his eyes.

Alan and Teddy both watched, perfectly still then, as Severus Snape and his black cloak took a couple steps back and vanished in the darkness of the castle.

After that, both of them continued to sit there, unmoving, as one often does after a catastrophe. Neither said anything.

Alan could feel his eyes sting with guilt, the knowledge that at any moment now Snape could reveal their secret...it settled on him like a heavy blanket of responsibility.

" I-I'm so sorry, Teddy this is my fault-"

Teddy's hair didn't waver from the stark orange hue it had taken on, but Alan noticed the ends of it go red. Ted was angry beyond expression, he knew it.

" Yes Alan, I think you're right. This is your fault." Teddy's voice was flat and emotionless. As crazy as it was, Alan hadn't really been expexting Teddy to agree with him.

Teddy was a typical self-blamer, he never blamed things on others. Alan could only stare blankly and say," I'll fix this. I will."

Teddy shook his head," I think you've done enough. Why don't you just stop trying to help with something that was never your problem in the first place."

Alan felt a new feeling rise up inside of him," It's not like I did this all on purpose! And I said I'd fix it!"

Teddy rolled his eyes and didn't answer.

" We can't fix this if you don't bloody talk to me!" Alan basically growled the last sentence out, anger getting the better of him.

Teddy flipped over, ignoring his friend's words.

"Teddy! This is stupid. You can't seriously be _that_ mad at me-" In a second, Teddy had flipped over and his hand was around Alan's neck.

Alan froze, not out of fear, but out of complete shock. The many other students in the room continued to snore and weeze in their sleep, oblivious to the struggle about to take place.

Teddy's hand was slowly getting tighter on Alan's neck, his eyes were narrowed...except they weren't Teddy's eyes. They were the eyes of the wolf.

Alan stared into them, finally starting to feel the fear that should've been coursing through him the entire time.

"Ted, you need to stop."

At first, Alan thought Teddy couldn't hear him, as his friend continued to tighten his grip on his throat...

But finally, Teddy's eyes widened with realization. He shoved Alan away, got to his feet, and scrambled away from the Great Hall.

Alan jumped to his own feet, planning on running after his friend...but then he stopped. Hadn't Teddy said he'd done enough?

The young Gryffindor plopped down on the floor with a little bit more bitter resentment than he'd had before.

* * *

Teddy grasped the sink in the bathroom with shaking hands. He was so scared, he couldn't remember ever being this afraid in his life.

He drug in a few shuddering breaths, though it was difficult, and then finally convinced himself to peer into the mirror in front of him.

His face stared back, stark white and scared, and a set unfamiliar golden eyes glowered down at him. Teddy's breath caught in his throat.

This was definetely new.

Teddy closed the set of unfamiliar eyes and tried to focus on changing his appearance. Usually, he didn't have to focus at all...but under the circumstances it seemed like a good thing to do.

When he opened his eyes again, the same golden orbs peered back at him. Teddy frowned, worry beginning to set in. What if he couldn't change his eyes back?

What if he lost the ability to change his appearance completely? His breath caught in his throat and he seemed to choke at the very idea.

But when he looked back at the mirror, the eyes were gone.

* * *

_~ In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

By the time dawn's light was shining outside the windows of my office, the letter and my box of chocolate had been deserted on my desk.

The fire in the fireplace was dying out...and my eyes were glued to it as it sparked out, but my thoughts were on the letter.

The letter brought too many questions to my mind...of course, the most obvious one was, who was the other werewolf?

After that, one still has to consider the question of who had actually sent the letter. Then, why had they sent the letter?

Even more troubling, how did they know I was a werewolf? The more I thought about it, the worse I worried.

Only Dumbledore and the other professors knew about my condition...besides Sirius, of course.

But Sirius wouldn't want to help me...my only other option was a teacher. It _had_ to be a teacher, right?

I picked the letter up and examined it once more, it was a pretty simple piece of paper, really. In fact, it was completely unremarkable.

It was folded and wrinkled...with some odd marks on it, as though someone had erased something before writing over it again.

I stared at the marks, then pulled out my wand, cautiously. If someone had used an erasing charm on the paper before writing me the letter, all I'd have to do was use a simple counter charm.

I muttered the correct words and watched in awe as the markings turned into shining words. They didn't say much. Just the date, and the topic of an essay about potions.

Which told me about all I needed to know. A teacher wouldn't have written this.

But a student would.


	10. Purple

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to Florence and the Machine!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, not even a tiny speck belongs to me.

A/N Sorry about the delay guys, I hope you all will forgive me. Much thanks to _SiriusOrRemus, Zoe Nightshade 10109, penguincrazy, LoverandaFighter, Bloody Phantom, charmedandtwilight31, PurplePuumpkin12, Twilightfan, CheyRainAwesomeness, no one who matters, Servant of Time, Just-As-Loony-As-Luna, emLILYEVANS, WizardWay, listen2music4ever, tess4aria, RachelDare, BookOfXcentric, Sarah Sanderson, a_nd _Str0keTheFurry Wall _for your kind reviews! Now on to the story~

Chapter 10- Purple

* * *

_~ In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

It had taken more than a couple of weeks for things to settle down after the events of Halloween. Not just for the students, but for the staff as well.

Especially myself.

The letter still occupied my thoughts most of the time, but it seemed the more I tried to discover the truth, the more it slipped away from me.

The mounting frustration with the letter lead me to focus more on the peculiar mystery of the two newest Hogwarts students- Teddy and Alan. The two students in question had grown quiet over the past few weeks, both of them seemed paranoid, and they rarely talked to each other.

Even Alan had lost his usual energetic personality.

However, the full moon had come back around again, and for now, I was leaving the mystery as it was. It's difficult to solve a mystery alone.

It's depressing to solve a mystery alone, too. Before, I had always had the help of my friends. Now it was just me.

* * *

Alan climbed the staircase to Gryffindor tower with a heavy heart that night. Teddy had avoided him all day, then he hadn't shown up for dinner.

Alan ended up sitting with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The three of them were actually good company now. Harry had instantly taken to Alan, and after some time, Ron had warmed up to him too.

When Alan reached the common room, he found it to be empty. Dinner was still going on in the Great Hall, so of course all of the _normal_ students were downstairs eating.

Why couldn't Alan be normal?

Alan entered the boy's dormitory with that question still bouncing around his brain. That room also looked empty...or at least all of the beds were empty.

Alan walked over to his own bed and plopped down on it with a heavy sigh. He stared up at the ceiling. He found himself doing that way too much for comfort the past few days.

Something had to be done. The plan was going down the toliet...and he couldn't help but feel twitchy at the idea of spending an entire year in the past for nothing.

He leaned back against his fluffy pillows and began to stare up at the window.

It was a full moon tonight...

Alan felt a grin spread across his face. Now was his chance to do something! Alan had already jumped up and was preparing to snatch Harry's invisibility cloak, when he heard someone cough.

Alan froze," Who's there?"

The person went silent for a few seconds then Teddy's voice sounded from the bathroom," Alan, is that you?"

Alan sighed. Teddy was going to complicate things.

" Yeah, it's me. What are you doing hiding in the _bathroom_?"

" I just felt the need to come brush my teeth. What do you _think_ I'm doing hiding in the bathroom?" Teddy replied, defensively.

" Er," Alan faltered," Is that a trick question?"

" For Merlin's sake Alan, just get in here!"

Alan slowly crept toward the bathroom," Okay I'm coming in-"

Teddy looked up from where he was sitting on the floor. He was gray, like he had been on their first full moon here, but his eyes were gold and distinctly...wolfish.

" Oh," Alan breathed a sigh of relief," I thought you would be naked or something."

Teddy scowled at him," No. But I need your help-"

Alan rolled his eyes," Of course you do."

" Could you stop being an insuferrable prat for like two seconds please?" Teddy snapped.

Alan raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

" I need you to guard the door tonight," Teddy explained," Just in case someone tries to come in..."

" That's going to be impossible, Teddy! Why don't you go hide somewhere else..."

" No! Someone will see me! Will you please just guard the door?" Teddy's voice was pleading now.

Alan looked at his best friend, with his face blank," No. I have something I need to do tonight."

Alan advanced on Teddy, and with a few words and a swish of his wand, he had covered Teddy in ropes.

Teddy's hair flashed a deep prurple, showing his shock at Alan's actions.

"What the _Hell_ are you doing, Alan!"

" I'm going to talk to a derranged murderer, obviously."

" ALAN, no! You can't, remember?"

Teddy stared up at Alan in disbelief.

"I'm sorry," Alan apologized, backing out the door," I'll make sure to put a charm on the door so they can't un-lock it, okay?"

"NO. Alan, you can't do this. It will just complicate things!" Teddy yelled, as he struggled against the ropes to no avail.

Alan shut the door on his friend. " I'll be back to let you out later, Teddy. I have a meeting with Sirius Black."

* * *

A/N Yes this chapter is ridiculously short...but the next one will make up for it, promise! :D Also, I'm sorry for any mistakes, my spell check still isn't working correctly.


	11. Black: Part One

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to Fall Out Boy! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, no matter how much I fantasize about it in my spare time.

A/N So, I've finally started my Junior year of Highschool, with three A.P. classes..I'm dying, guys. I've decided to try to update this story every weekend ( or try to) because I don't want to leave you guys hanging. But honestly, don't expect brilliance. I'm brain dead. Thanks to _Bloody Phantom, Lmb1111514, Str0keTheFurryWall, PurplePumpkin12,_ no _one who matters, SiriusOrRemus, LoverandaFighter, Tessia, KatiekkxD, Twlightfan_, and _Aren_ for your awesome reviews! :D This chapter will have two seperate parts, by the way. Then really only about two or three chapters-and this will be finished!

Chapter 11, Part One: Black

* * *

_~In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

Every once in a while, I would find myself partrolling the castle. It just so happened that on the particular night I chose to patrol, something very peculiar occured.

I suppose, something peculiar was bound to happen eventually. After all, this _is_ Hogwarts.

Anyway, that night was a full moon, and I planned to hurriedly finish my rounds and then return to my office for the inevitable, when I was distracted.

Unsurprisingly, the distraction occured just about the time I was passing by the Gryffindor common room...

It was the sound of someone sobbing.

I'm not sure whether it was my curiousity or that inate paternal instict people are always on about, but I immediatly turned to go in.

Of course, The Fat Lady was not very happy about that.

" Password please?"

I fixed the lady with a slightly stern look," Surely you can hear that a student is crying, dear lady? I need to check on the student, to make sure they're not injured."

" In light of the recent events, Professor Lupin, I would say allowing you inside would be highly dangerous. Especially without identifi-"

" Dear lady," I started," I'm not trying to compromise your ability to protect the students. I trust you know I am only trying to ensure the safety of all of them, just as you are."

The Fat Lady considered my statement for a minute before saying," You always were a sweet-talker, Lupin." She then swung back, revealing the small hallway to the common room.

" Thank you," I said, as the portrait shut behind me.

By the time I had crawled into the common room, whoever had been sobbing had stopped. I considered the situation for a second.

I had, at most, thirty minutes before I would need to be in office, and the student could have been anywhere in the common room. Even if I found them in time, what could I do? It would've been best to just leave and prepare for the night.

But instead, I started to look for the student. My first thought was to try the Girl's Dormitory, but that search revealed absolutely nothing. From there, I went to the Boy's dorms.

Time was of the essence at that point.

A quick scan of the room revealed nothing. At first. Then by chance, I tried to open the bathroom door.

It was locked. "Is there anyone in here?"

My call went unanswered, so I tried once again to open the door. This time, with magic.

When nothing else had happened, I knew something was wrong. I pulled out my wand once more, and tried a more powerful charm.

The door shook a little bit, then with a click, it opened. I stepped in, wand at the ready, and peered around the corner.

There was Teddy Tonks, his skin gray, and his face puffy from crying, apparently. But his eyes...they were different. They were the eyes of the wolf.

* * *

Alan's heart was hammering in his chest as he exited Hogwarts Castle under Harry's invisibility cloak. It wasn't as though he hadn't snuck out of Hogwarts before...

It was just that he'd never tied a friend up in a bathroom and gone alone to meet Sirius Black.

Alan kept the cloak on until he made it past Hagrid's hut, but as soon as he removed it, he wished he hadn't, as the chilly air cut through his robes like a knife.

Alan sucked in a deep breath, and kept walking. According to the Marauder's Map, the Whomping Willow wasn't too far off.

Indeed, only a few steps later, the outline of the tree began to take shape in front of Alan. He folded the cloak under his arm, and studied the map one last time.

The little dot labeled _Sirius Black _was still in the Shrieking Shack. With a sigh, Alan folded the map and stuck it in his pocket.

Then he pulled out his wand and started forward.

The tree, of course, reacted violently. Alan thought he had assumed a stance far enough away from the tree to avoid getting attacked, but as soon as stuck out his wand, a huge branch came flying at him.

Alan managed to jump back in time to avoid getting knocked backward, but the force of the tree caused his wand to leap from his hand.

Alan stared after it for a secnd. The wand was only a couple feet away from the tree now...there would be no way to get it.

Of course, he couldn't leave it there. Not if he wanted to enter the Shrieking Shack.

With a raspy breath, Alan sprinted forward. He managed to dodge a couple of branches, but when he finally reached his wand, one massive branch, as big around as the trunk of the tree, hit him in the side.

Alan was caught off guard now, as a smaller branch smacked the side of his face.

Still out of breath from the tree's first attack, Alan only just managed to gasp out," _Imobilious_."

The tree stilled instantly, and Alan somehow managed to pull himself forward, despite the pain in his side.

Then with the end of his wand, he pressed the knob on the tree, revealing the passage to the Shack. He stumbled into the unlit walkway, then fell.

Alan was too dizzy to stand, so he leaned against the damp wall, trying to take deep breaths.

He could feel his vision dimming. The last thing he remembered seeing was the outline of a person standing above him, wand drawn.

And then all went black.

* * *

A/N I couldn't decide where to end this, mainly because I'm as excited for the meeting between Alan and Sirius as all of you are. ( At least I hope you are.) So, I figured the best thing to do is to leave it with this cliffhanger...( yes I know, I'm a cruel person.) But, I'm starting the next chapter right now. Meaning, it will more than likely be up today or tomorrow. :) Enjoy and review!


	12. Black: Part Two

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to Fall Out Boy! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and to clarify, I never will.

A/N So, after leaving you with that cliffy, I'm back to finish the last part of the joint chapter. The problem is, I honestly have no idea how I'm going to get it where I want to without writing 3,000 words. I'm sure you won't mind though. Thanks to any reviewers (I would name you, but I posted the last chapter a couple of seconds ago, and I doubt you've reviewed yet.) Enjoy~

Chapter 11: Black, Part Two

* * *

Alan awoke in a dark room, lit only with some old candles and the light from a wand.

It took his eyes several good seconds to adjust to the darkness, but when they did it was obvious where he was.

Alan was lying on a moldy sofa, inside the Shrieking Shack. With that realization, Alan immediately shot up from the couch, only to sink back down in a wave of dizziness.

" I wouldn't do that if I were you. It seems the Whillow gave you a beating." Alan froze.

Sitting only a few feet from Alan's right, was a man. His long matted hair fell in dark strands around his face and he was skinny enough to be a living skeleton.

Sirius Black.

Alan felt the color drain from his face. " Sirius Black?"

Sirius grinned. In the dim lighting, his smile had a slightly haunted look, but Alan ignored it.

" Ah, I see my reputation precedes me." Sirius stepped back, looking downcast. His shoulders were drawn in and his grin had turned into a frown.

" No!" Alan blurted out.

Sirius eyed him, looking curious," You know, you're an interesting kid. I find you lying at the bottom of the Whomping Willow passage, with the Marauder's Map sticking out of you back pocket and an invisibility cloak."

Alan nodded, staring at his feet.

Sirius threw a glance at Alan, before continuing," With that information, I can only assume that you were looking for me."

Finally, Alan peered up at Sirius. Alan noticed that Sirius's eyes were the same shade of gray as his. The thought calmed him down slightly. He knew what he had to do.

" I _was_ looking for you," Alan replied.

Sirius gave him an odd look," I know you're a Gryffindor," he said, indicating Alan's torn robes," but I don't think I know anyone, even a Gryffindor, who would go looking for a mass murderer for no reason."

Alan was silent for a moment. He'd never thought Sirius Black would be a dumb man, but no one had ever figured him out so quickly. Alan concluded that Sirius was either highly intelligent or extrememly reckless for rescuing a stranger who could've come here to kill him.

" I know you're not a mass murderer," Alan said," you're innocent."

Sirius laughed, manically. He seemed stuck between disbelief and giddiness.

" Let me assure you, I am very much guilty of murder."

" Putting your trust in the wrong freind doesn't make you guilty of murder. Peter Pettigrew is the murderer," Alan said, his voice rising.

Sirius froze, and for just a second he studied Alan.

" _Who are you_? The only people who know what really happened that night are Peter and I. Unless you've been talking to Pettigrew, there's no way you can know what happened."

" _That_ is where you're wrong. I didn't have to talk to anyone to know you're innocent. Where I come from, it's common knowledge." Alan and Sirius were both standing now, though Alan seemed a little unsteady.

" And where exactly do you come from?" Sirius asked. His eyes were guarded, but Alan noticed, his wand wasn't drawn. Sirius obviously no longer saw him as a threat.

" I'm from the future, and I came here to seek your help," Alan explained, in a rush.

Sirius looked confused," You came all the way to the past to seek_ my_ help? Who _are_ you?"

Alan took a shuddering breath," My name is Alan Black. I'm your grandson."

* * *

_~ In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

I felt as though I was immoblized. I couldn't seem to convince my feet to move from where they were planted on the floor.

A couple of feet over, Teddy seemed to be having the same problem. Is eyes were locked on mine, in shock.

So whoever had sent the letter had been talking about Teddy. This puzzled me a bit, as Teddy didn't appear to be a werewolf.

At least not _exactly. _

I bent down so I was eye level with Teddy and started to untie him. He watched me wearily for a moment before saying," Thanks."

" It's no problem," I replied, using my wand to untie the final knot," But what I'd like to know is how you came to be tied up in the bathroom?"

Teddy mustered a small smile," It's a long story."

" I see..." I trailed off for a moment.

" Is that all you wanted to ask me?" Teddy asked, expectantly.

I pulled him to his feet, slowly," If you're referring to why I'm not asking you if you're turning into a werewolf, it's because I didn't plan to. You see, Teddy, I'm-"

"Werewolf?" Teddy supplied.

I fixed him with a pointed glance," How did you know...?"

" Intuition, I suppose," Teddy replied.

" Obviously, it's more than intuition, and I expect you to tell me the truth."

Teddy opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off," But first, I'm going to take you to my office. As you already know, I don't have much time before the moon rises."

Teddy nodded, looking troubled. His hair had reverted to a black color.

I placed a hand on his shoulder," You'll be safe there, I promise."

He glanced up at me, his eyes were watery, but he didn't appear to be crying.

Then he lurched forward, hugging me tightly. I jumped a little, as I hadn't been expecting it, but then I relaxed.

I had no idea why, but in that moment everything seemed to come together. There was still a mystery to uncover, but I didn't care.

I finally felt happy again.

* * *

A/N Yes, it is short. :P But, it's a two-part chapter, so if you put them together...it makes one large chapter. Btw, my spell checker still isn't working, so I'm deeply sorry for any mistakes!

Anyway, now to answer some questions from my reviews:

To _MissSadieKane_: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like how I'm unveiling things rather slowly. To answer your question, A.P. classes (or Advanced Placement classes) are college-level classes that one can take in highschool. At the end of term, we have to take an A.P. test, and if we pass the test with a high enough score, we'll recieve college credit for the class. Thanks for asking. :)

To _Aren_: Thanks for your brilliant reviews :) And to answer your question, Junior Year of highschool equates to Grade 11. ( There are typically 12 years of pre-college schooling in America.) And I'm sixteen years old, so I should graduate from highschool in early 2013, when I'm eighteen.


	13. Gold

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to Flogging Molly and procrastinating on school work? :) Mhm.

Disclaimer: Obviously, I do NOT own Harry Potter, or have you not been paying attention to the twelve other disclaimers I have made on this story? :)

A/N Ah, as you can see the news of my death has been greatly exaggerated! This story is very much still being written, so do not fret. However, I do apologize for the lull in updating. I have been rather preoccupied with other things, but ehhh who cares about AP work and jobs? I SHOULD JUST SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE WRITING FAN-FICTION! :D Anyway, back on to the story, please read and review! Much thanks to _Lady Elizabeth of New York_, _LoverandaFighter, Fiito, SiriusOrRemus, footprintsontheceiling, penguincrazy, PurplePumpkin12, Protego Totalum, Lmb111514, emLILYEVANS, Twilightfan, Aren, listen2music4ever, MadSockRabbit, RachelDare, st-potter, Trisya-Rogan-Draegalia, BookOfXcentric, Blue Nargles, Tsunami. Samurai, Demi Lupin, UNKOWABLE,_ and_ tt crews _for your fantastic reviews!

Chapter 12: Gold

* * *

~_ In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

As Teddy and I entered my room, I could feel my heart jumping in my chest.

Although the transformations were always painful, I had never been nervous to transform before.

The only other time I had remotely felt like this had been the first time Sirius, James, and Peter had transformed with me. My nervousness had come from my fear for their safety, I would have never been able to live with myself if something happened and I hurt them.

So, I could only guess that the feeling I was having now was the same thing, amplified by a hundred. It made absolutely no sense to me because now, with the Wolfsbane Potion, I was harmless.

As I pondered these things, I locked the door to my room, and made sure to secure it with a few spells.

I sat down on my couch then, followed by Teddy, who collapsed in a heap, wincing slightly at the effort.

I tried to restrain myself, but had to ask," How far do your...transformations go?"

Teddy glanced up at me," I don't know. Each time it happens, it progresses...gets worse every time."

Teddy took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

I could feel the moon pulling at my body, but I was fighting it, I needed to talk Teddy through whatever was going on with him.

" What happened the last time the full moon came around?"

Teddy appeared to be at a loss of words for a second, before replying," My whole body ached, especially my head. Every time, I start to feel really sick, and I turn gray-"

I nodded," And this time- does anything feel different?"

" Yes. This time...my eyes were different. They're not human, and I can't change them back," Teddy paused and closed his eyes, trying to morph, but when nothing happened, he continued," And my body still aches...but this time it feels different. I have these shooting pains every once in a while. My whole body feels like it's itching..."

Teddy shook a little bit at the thought.

" If this is a slow progression as you say, judging by your symptoms, I do not think you will transform tonight."

Teddy let out a relieved sigh.

" But," I looked down at Teddy with a tinge of regret," I do think you will experience real pain this time. I always feel that slight itch...it comes before the bones start rearranging themselves."

Teddy nodded, looking solemn. I put a calming hand on his shoulder," I will be with you no matter what, okay?"

Teddy looked up at me again," Okay."

I sighed feeling the transformation coming on," I just have one more question."

Teddy seemed very distracted, but answered me nonetheless," What?"

" How did you come to start transforming into a werewolf?"

Teddy seemed to look at me with a different light in his eyes," My dad was a werewolf."

Teddy's hair had turned the same gold color as his eyes, and he was looking at me with an attention I'd never seen before.

I could say nothing. The transformation was starting.

My thoughts swirled around what Teddy had said as I went away from myself. My bones were popping and realigning themselves. The itch became a burn as a thin coat of fur sprung from where my skin had been. I bit back a scream of pain as my spine crunched into a completely different shape.

I knew then, I was the wolf. My thoughts came back to me, thanks to the Wolfsbane. I was Remus Lupin. I could think.

And I had never been more appreciative of that.

Next to me, Teddy was on the ground, writhing in a silent pain. He was all but screaming at it. I knew he had felt what I had, he just hadn't transformed.

He held his head as if it were under an immense pressure, and I knew he was crying.

I leaned over toward him, nudging him slightly as I did so. He opened his eyes and stared at me.

I nudged him again, and this time, despite the pain, he pulled himself closer to me, and reached out a hand.

He rubbed my fur for a minute, then curled into me. I was at peace.

* * *

Sirius was pacing around the shack, his face still locked in an expression of shock as he tried to wrap his head around what Alan had told him.

Alan watched Sirius with interest, while lounging back on a dilapidated sofa in the far corner of the room, quietly awaiting the string of questions he knew would soon come.

Finally, Sirius paused before him, his matted hair and starved body looked eerie in the low lighting of the room, but Alan remained strangely calm.

" Why did you come to the past?" Sirius asked, taking a seat next to Alan.

" I came here to ask for your help, like I said," Alan replied. He stretched his arms back until they were behind his head then, trying to create an appearance of calm, despite his obvious anxiety.

" So I am dead in the future," Sirius declared, looking resigned.

Alan fumbled with his words for a second before managing," I didn't say that-"

" No," Sirius agreed," You didn't. But I highly doubt you'd travel to the past to talk to me if I was in your present already."

Alan opened his mouth to protest, but after a penetrating look from his Sirius, he shut it, and nodded.

"Ah! Good, I never wanted to live very long anyway, though it would be great to know the specifics-"

Alan started to tell him, but Sirius cut him off," No, I don't want to know. Not really. I just have one question about that whole affair."

Alan nodded again, expectant.

" Do I go down fighting?" Sirius's voice held a glimmer of emotion in it as he asked the question, but also a tone of excitement, as though fighting till the end would make his life complete.

" Yes. You fight until the very end."

Sirius smiled," Good! That's how James and Remus always said I would go. It sounds much better than rotting to death in Azkaban."

" Much better," Alan agreed, quietly.

Sirius clapped Alan on the shoulder," Don't look so glum, Al."

Alan grinned at the nickname, it seemed he and Sirius had a lot in common. He'd always been told that, but it felt good to be able to see it for himself.

" I'm not glum," Alan replied," I'm just glad to finally meet you. _An original Marauder in the flesh!"_

Sirius barked out in laughter," Yes, that's me," he paused for a moment," I have so much to ask you, but for now, let's just start with this. How can _I_ help you?"

Alan grinned sheepishly," It's a long story."

Sirius raised an eyebrow," And I have nothing but time."

Alan took a deep breath, but before he could confide the rest of the plan to his grandfather, a furious pounding sounded below the shack.

They were running out of time.

* * *

A/N I am deeply sorry about leaving yet another cliff hanger...BUT it couldn't be helped. Sorry about any mistakes, I had to be quick with this update.

Also, I'm sorry to _footprintsontheceiling, _for not putting the periods in your username...my computer will not let me for some ridiculous reason!

Please read and review!


	14. Green

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to the world of Harry Potter. I am certainly not J.K.R.

A/N I'd like to thank all of the kind reviewers who answered my previous Author's Note. I'm incredibly excited to return to this story with a fresh mind. I'd also like to thank all of the readers who used to follow the story, I'm terribly sorry for letting you guys down, and even though it may be too late, I hope I can make up for the long, unplanned hiatus. (On a happier note, I like to think my writing has improved greatly since my last update, so hopefully you'll enjoy the story even more.) Without further ado, here is the _long awaited_ fourteenth chapter of **The Familiar Stranger.**

**Chapter 14: Green**

* * *

_"I'm not glum," Alan replied," I'm just glad to finally meet you. An original Marauder in the flesh!"_

_Sirius chuckled," Yes, that's me," he paused for a moment," I have so much to ask you, but for now, let's just start with this. How can I help you?"_

_Alan grinned, sheepishly," It's a long story."_

_"And I have nothing but time."_

_Alan took a deep breath, but before he could confide the rest of the plan to his grandfather, a furious pounding sounded below the shack._

_They were running out of time._

* * *

The shrieking shack creaked, another loud pounding shaking the frame of the dilapidated building. Dust and dirt drifted from the walls, covering the destroyed furniture in a new layer of filth.

Alan started to speak, but Sirius cut him off," _Footsteps_. Someone's coming."

Alan stood and removed his wand from his pocket, preparing for the worst, but Sirius shook his head.

"There's more than one pair of footsteps, Alan. You're a kid, you can't take on three fully-fledged wizards and hope to win," Sirius held out his hand, expectantly" I'll do it."

Alan smirked," Nice try, gramps, but I doubt they came all this way looking for little ol' me. If you're caught now, you won't be able to help _anyone._"

"Alan-"

"They'll cart you off to Azkaban without batting an eye," Alan continued, his eyes hard," I'll take care of this."

The footsteps lumbered closer, but Sirius was reluctant to take advice from his thirteen-year-old time-traveling grandson.

"I can't leave you to face them alone, _I'm _the adult here, _I_ should be the one protecting _you_."

Alan's lips twitched into a rare smile. It was hopeful and trusting, a truly innocent smile he didn't even remember he could make," If this all works out, one day you _will _be the one protecting me."

Before Sirius could answer, the door popped off its hinges with a loud bang. A cloud of dust lingered in the air, nearly obscuring the faces of their discoverers, but once the smoke cleared, it was obvious the Blacks were in way over their heads.

Snape was the first through the door, flanked by a man with flowing silver locks, which Alan could only assume was the infamous Lucius Malfoy and the current Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.

"Ah, it seems you were right, Severus," Fudge announced," Who knew the Whomping Willow lead to such an abysmal hide out?"

The three wizards were silent for a moment, seemingly at a loss for words, but Alan knew better than to try anything. Behind him, he could feel Padfoot pacing. Alan could only thank Merlin his grandfather had decided to become an unregistered animagus.

Lucius gave the cramped room a look of distaste," Can we just get this over with?"

"Right, right, of course," Fudge replied," Alright then, _Severus,_ please escort Mr. MacDough back to the school if you will. Find a nice room to keep him in until the other officials arrive."

"Officials? I haven't done anything besides break curfew…" Alan tried his innocent smile," I'm sure a few nights of detention would teach me a lesson just as well."

Snape sneered," Actually, the theft and illegal use of a time-turner with intent to alter future happenings falls under _court_ jurisdiction, Mr. MacDough."

Padfoot stiffened, a low growl emanating from his throat.

Fudge made a face." I suggest you calm your…pet, or we'll be forced to-"

Alan shot him a glare," Padfoot is very well-behaved, _Minister."_

Alan patted Padfoot's head, but his growls continued, much to the apprehension of Fudge.

"Well? Are you going to come willingly?" Malfoy demanded," If not, we can arrange for _other_ methods of transportation."

Alan shrugged, trying to keep himself together. They'd find a way out of this. _They had to._

"I'll come willingly, but _only_ if you'll take my dog to Professor Lupin. I have to make sure he's…taken care of." Alan gave Padfoot a pointed look.

"You're in no position to bargain with us," Lucius spat," You'll be lucky if you're ever seen again after what the Unspeakables do to you."

Alan paled, suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation. At least they didn't seem to know about Teddy.

Fudge sighed," _Now, now Lucius_…there's no need to be rude to the boy. Severus, make sure you arrange for Lupin to receive his…pet."

"Padfoot," Alan supplied quietly," His name is Padfoot."

"Right, well," Fudge continued," If you'll follow us, Mr. MacDough. The Unspeakables aren't the most patient of people; we best not keep them waiting."

* * *

~_In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~_

By the time the moon had vanished from the sky, I was fully awake. My joints still ached from the transformation, but my mind swarmed with far too many questions; sleep would be impossible.

Teddy stirred in his sleep, and despite myself, I smiled. When he didn't consciously focus on controlling his metamorphagy, his hair seemed to flicker between a light blue and a vibrant green, as if it couldn't _quite_ make its mind up.

I struggled to my feet, groaning when my knees creaked and popped. Wolfsbane lessoned some of the pain, but the transformation never ceased to exhaust my body. I limped around the small kitchen-are of my office, making two cups of chocolate-infused tea. Teddy would be awake, and no doubt, we had much to discuss. I knew that I _had_ to help him. It wasn't a question of morals or guilt, it was more like an _instinct._ I'd been fighting it for so long; it was about time I let go. Whoever Teddy was, whatever his circumstances, we had a connection.

I settled myself in my arm-chair, sipping my tea slowly. _Fortunately,_

Teddy began mumbling in his sleep just as I was starting to dose off.

At first, the words were incoherent, but the more I listened, the more one word started to stick out to me: _dad._

Suddenly all of the pieces were falling into place…Teddy and Alan's strange appearance, Teddy's family background…my intense desire to help him…

I jumped to my feet, in shock, and before I could catch myself, my cup had tumbled to the floor. The glass shattered.

Startled by the noise, Teddy jolted awake. His amber eyes were wide and confused, but none of it mattered anymore, because I knew the truth.

_Teddy was my son._

* * *

A/N Reviews are appreciated. I'd love to know what you guys think of this chapter...it was difficult to work back into things, so I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading! Also, I'm in the market for a new Beta reader, _if anyone's interested._


	15. Navy

**The Familiar Stranger**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.

A/N I'd like to thank _High Reacher_ for leaving a review! For some reason, FF wouldn't allow anyone who had reviewed the original chapter fourteen (my Author's Note) to review the new chapter. So, I'm hoping you guys are all able to leave comments on this installment. I'd also like to thank _Jolinnn _and _Bloody Phantom _for their lovely PMs. I had a little bit of trouble trying to immolate my old writing style last chapter. I feel like my style almost hindered my ability to have an enjoyable writing experience (which is key if I want to complete this story anytime soon.) I don't want to change the format of the story too much, but I'm going to write it a little differently this chapter. If anyone dislikes the change, just let me know through a PM or review.

Chapter 15: Navy

* * *

Ten minutes passed before Remus was able to do anything besides pace around the room in a catatonic stupor. He fell back into his shabby armchair as a man condemned. He sunk into the scarred leather with an audible sigh, as though the weight of the world had just fallen on his shoulders.

Teddy watched him quietly, trying to remain impassive in the face of his father's sudden weariness. Ted could only think of one piece of information that would cause Remus to react in such a way.

"You figured it out, didn't you?" Teddy stared at the floral-patterned couch pointedly. He wanted to look into his father's face, but he knew that the look there wouldn't be the one of joy he had so hoped for, and he honestly didn't think he could stand to see the guilt and disappointment written across the features of the one man he had admired so ardently.

Remus remained silent for a moment. He wanted to speak about as much as Teddy wanted to look at him, but he had to restrain himself. The burning lump in the back of his throat would give way to open sobs if he allowed himself to speak to the disappointed thirteen-year-old boy who was sitting on his couch.

The silence was worse than any of the many outbursts Teddy could have expected. He wondered if he should just leave. By now, Alan should have returned. His friend was probably wandering the halls, searching for him, but Teddy couldn't make himself leave. Perhaps he was being foolish, but he had dreamed of this moment his entire life, and he couldn't let himself accept a reality where his father wasted all of their precious time by giving him the silent treatment.

"What does it mean when your hair changes color like that?" Remus asked, his voice coming out in a rasp.

"What color is it?" Teddy replied, in a small voice. His hair had a tendency to change with his moods, but there was no way of knowing which bizarre color had resulted from this particular situation.

In a voice of feigned contemplation, Remus said," It's similar to black, but it's a slight bit lighter…a shade of blue, perhaps? Navy?"

Teddy shrugged," I really have no idea. I don't think it's ever been _navy _before."

"Teddy, I'm not," Remus stumbled over his words," What I mean to say is, I'm _not_ disappointed. I know very little about you, but I'm glad you are my son. I never expected a family, but that doesn't mean that I'm unhappy. I only wish you had told me a bit sooner-"

Teddy sighed," Actually, I never planned to tell you in the first place."

Remus seemed surprised," Why? Did you not think I've a _right_ to know? I know I haven't been there, but I'd like to change that, if you'll let me."

"It's not that," Teddy mumbled," The…situation is a lot more complicated than you understand."

Remus frowned," I'm your father. You can tell me anything."

Teddy felt stuck. _His father_…the father he'd never thought he'd meet until his own life came to an end, was staring at him with wide, caring eyes, and despite the fact he knew it was wrong, Teddy wanted to tell him everything. It wasn't as though the adults in his life were cruel and un-caring, but none of them were his _father. _Harry was the closest thing to a dad he'd ever had, but it just wasn't the same.

Teddy took a deep breath," This is probably a really bad idea, but _alright_. I'm from the future. My friend Alan and I traveled here because we needed help, and in our time, things were difficult. It was really stupid of us to travel back in time…but we," Teddy paused," We broke into the Ministry and we freaked when we were discovered, and for some reason, we thought that if we could get in touch with you, you could help, and…"

Teddy stopped suddenly when Remus placed a hand on his shoulder," Are you alright? You were starting to sound a bit hysterical."

Teddy only nodded, surprised with his father's relative calm. This situation wasn't exactly a best-case scenario, and Remus had to have realized that Teddy had had to travel in time because he wasn't _alive_ in the future.

Teddy tried to talk, but he couldn't. Tears were streaming down his face, and he gasped, trying to scrub them away. _When had he started crying?_

Remus rubbed his back, a bit awkwardly, but he assumed it was thought that counted," It will be okay. We'll get this all sorted out."

"Okay?" Teddy repeated," How can this ever be okay? _You're dead_." He closed his eyes, as if it would help contain all of his tears, but the more he thought about it, the worse it was.

"Those who love us, never truly leave us," Remus said, smiling despite the tears that were filling his own eyes," I will always be there for you when you need me, I promise."

A violent rapping on the door brought the father and son out of their embrace too quickly for either of their liking, and Remus motioned for Teddy to get out of sight.

"Just a moment," Remus called, waving a hand over the shattered tea cup, which instantly fused back together and settled on the coffee table.

From his hiding spot behind his father's broken desk, Teddy watched his father quickly tidy up the living area before opening the door.

"Professor Snape, isn't it a bit early to—"Lupin trailed off, "If you don't mind my asking…_why do you have a dog_?"

"Ah, yes, it would seem Mr. MacDough will not be attending any more classes at Hogwarts. He's been taken into ministerial custody," Snape paused in his sneering only to hand Remus the dog's leash," He needed someone to care for his…_pet_ and asked for you specifically, Lupin. I imagine he knew of your soft spot for dogs."

Lupin clenched his teeth, "What exactly was Alan arrested _for_?"

"I'm not at liberty to say, but I'd imagine his little friend, Mr. Tonks, is also involved. If you see him, feel free to inform the Minister. As soon as the Unspeakables have cracked MacDough, they'll be looking for him."

After Snape had stalked away, Remus hastily shut and locked the door. Then, with a look caught between worry and frustration, he turned his eye on the shaggy black dog that had settled onto his couch.

"_Sirius_."

* * *

The two Unspeakables who had been given the task of interrogating Alan didn't appear to be overly-menacing. Compared to the muscled brutes he'd been expecting, they looked about as intimidating as stuttering Professor Longbottom.

One was obnoxiously tall, with a nose that took up the majority of his face and skin so pale it seemed translucent in the tower cell's eerie lighting

Alan cleared his throat," I'm sorry to be so rude, since we haven't been properly _introduced_ and all, but you bare an uncanny resemblance to Professor Snape_. Any relation_?"

The wizard he'd addressed grunted, and Alan couldn't help but glower at _big nose._ Neither he, nor his partner, an older, balding gentleman, had bothered to say a word to him since his arrival an hour ago.

Alan fixed both of them with another steely glare," If you think a silent treatment will pull a confession out of me, you might as well give up now."

Baldy shot Big Nose a look, then said," Very well. I'm Raz Croaker and this is my colleague, Broderick Bode. We're Unspeakables from the Department of Mysteries, and on behalf of the Minister of Magic, we have been instructed to inform you that if you withhold facts about the _incident_ in question, your punishment will be severe."

When Alan said nothing, the two men moved to stand closer to him. From his seat on the ground, they looked like giants but Alan only rolled his eyes at their blatant attempt to intimidate him.

"I imagine my punishment is already pretty _severe_, so I'll pass."

Croaker shook his head," Look, kid, we don't want to have to do this the hard way."

Alan stared up at Croaker, and trying to keep his face and voice as impassive as he possibly could, he said," I have nothing to say, and no matter _what_ you do to me, that won't change."

Croaker sighed," Hard way it is then."

Bode smiled, grimly, and pulled out his wand. It was an ugly little thing, with harsh markings etched into the sides. It seemed to be stained the color of soot, and Alan could only imagine the type of magic Bode would have had to perform to manage that. Wordlessly, the Unspeakable waved his wand, and Alan was pulled to his feet.

"Really?" He said," Performing Unforgivable Curses on an under aged wizard?"

"Of course not, I only did that to get you on your feet. The Ministry doesn't permit the use of such curses on any non-lethal prisoners."

"Yes," Alan spat," Because the Ministry is _so_ great and kind. _Not corrupt at all." _

Bode and Croaker missed his sarcasm.

"The Ministry is set up to secure the safety of all witches and wizards of Britain, _and you_, put all of those people in danger when you decided to go gallivanting through time," Croaker said, his own wand drawn now," You will answer our questions, Mr. MacDough, or we'll be forced to use Legilimency. Both my partner and I are highly skilled professionals. _There will be nothing left in your pretty little head we don't know about."_

Alan clamped his mouth shut. He wouldn't say anything willingly, but he knew about Legilimency. The Unspeakables would rip his subconscious open piece by piece until they knew everything about Teddy. They would discover Sirius's whereabouts…_everything._

Alan fought against the panic creeping in; he knew there were ways to fight a Legilimens, but he couldn't_ just try_ to keep them out, he _had_ to keep them out of his head, no matter what.

* * *

A/N I hope you enjoyed the slight change, either way, just let me know. The plot will definetly start to thicken in the next few chapters, so anything that isn't _yet_ clear, shall be (_I promise_!) You'll also get to see a few more characters, both _old,_ and _sort of new_, be introduced. Also, I believe the reviewing should be working now, so I'd really appreciate some feedback! Thanks guys! :)


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